Over the past 30 years, researchers and clinicians in shared decision making (SDM) have developed and refined numerous patient-centered decision tools for a variety of health decisions. Despite the progress of SDM research, few clinicians feel trained to implement SDM in practice, and few are aware of the vast number of evidenced-based decision aids available. Section 936 of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) emphasizes the need for patients and clinicians to engage in SDM. The legislation states that clinicians should provide patients with information about risks, benefits, and trade-offs among health care options, and incorporate patients'values into medical plans. However, without research on practical applications of SDM, and without appropriate training to help clinicians adopt SDM and decision aids in practice, clinicians will be ill-equipped to implement one of the goals of the PPACA. This proposal requests the necessary support to host a conference to: (Aim 1) develop a network of researchers to develop, conduct, and disseminate research on ways to implement SDM into routine clinical practice;(Aim 2) conduct presentations and workshops at the host institution (Washington University in St. Louis) on SDM skills, patient decision aids, the impact of SDM on health outcomes, SDM measures, and SDM implementation;and (Aim 3) to disseminate the conference results to other groups of researchers, clinicians, health care administrators, patient groups, and policy makers interested in learning about ways to implement SDM into routine clinical practice. The conference is responsive to PA-09-231 by focusing on disseminating research results, building research infrastructure, and career development. It will include faculty, trainees and students that will work together to develop, share and disseminate research, experiences, and trainings with clinicians. The conference is innovative because it builds on a new and major national policy initiative (PPACA) and it focuses on both developing research networks and promoting the science and practice of SDM implementation. It is significant because it focuses on an AHRQ priority area (CER) by studying ways to translate CER to patients and clinicians, it brings together new research collaborators, and it involves clinicians and systems who are willing, yet unprepared to incorporate SDM in routine practice. The conference will serve as the first step toward several planned projects for future proposals, such as a multi-site grant designed to encourage the adoption of SDM in practice, and a grant to train clinicians in SDM. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Over the past 30 years, researchers and clinicians in shared decision making (SDM) have developed and refined numerous patient-centered decision tools for a variety of health decisions. Despite the progress of SDM research, few clinicians feel trained to implement SDM in practice, and few are aware of the vast number of evidenced-based decision aids available. This proposal requests funds to host a conference focused on ways to implement SDM into routine clinical practice.